Theme for the New Year

Each year, my friends and I plan a ‘Theme’ around which we will try to live our year. Dana was the one who started it all! This year just ending was Hospitality. The year yet to come is
Simple, Beautiful.

My aim is to make life simpler, and incorporate more beauty into it, without compromising the simple!

To start me off, I have devised some ideas around which I will build my theme.

"simplify through planning"

--There are so many things I want to do, and I never remember. I was most successful when I planned, but having a planner doesn't work for me. So instead I am going to use my calendar. I am seriously considering buying a really nice one to use. I loved my calendar, because it sat right next to my computer and did the job. I think I can make it work . There I will plan some fun stuff I will probably steal from blogs like Dawn's and Serendipity and others. I need to learn to do just ONE AT A TIME though. This is the simplify part

"use themes"

--Dawn used a theme for Christmas... woodland Christmas. It was really cute. I figure with themes, you can make a seasonal celebration, much like at Serendipity, come together. This definitely speaks to the beautiful part too

"create good habits".

--This speaks for itself. Some things I need to learn to do at appropriate times, like fold the laundry RIGHT AWAY so I don't end up with a huge basket of it to fold -my least favourite chore. Again this is to be a ONE AT A TIME thing. One at a time is to be my new motto. I always want to do so many things!

“Live Seasonally”

--Each month is part of a season… and each season has it high points. I was astonished to see Dawn had a list of events for each month posted on her blog. I really like this idea. Last night, I tried to make up my OWN list for January. I used hers as an outline ;)

“Add Beauty”

--It is said that beauty is in the eye of the beholder. That is very true! But the little touches are the ones that mean the most. Donna Marie had a beautiful post over at the 4 Real Forums last year. This year, I printed it out and put it in my ‘to do’ pile! I added a bunch of homemaking blogs to my blogroll for inspiration, as well as some blogs by artists. I won’t be always able to visit these blogs, but when I need the inspiration, they will be there!

Sarah, over at Plainsong, had a lovely list of things she was doing for her Home Sweet Home Challenge.

Strive for these Goals

1. Invite the Blessed Mother to my home. . .daily, with a Memorare for the intention of asking her to visit me as she did her cousin, and to help me keep my eyes toward heaven.

2. Begin my day with a Morning Offering-to offer my all to God

3. Follow a simple organizational routine

4. Take on little things to help our household stay beautiful and joyful.

5. Write about household topics and link others' blogs who are motivational

The Rules:

1. Remember People are more important than things

2. Remember that messes look bigger than they are

3. Small things done in the home can add beauty

4. Stay real: we will never be perfect, especially with children around us

5. Keep a sense of humor

6. Forgive myself for imperfection and limitations, focusing on those things I do accomplish

7. Persevere

I think it goes without saying, that these things are something I shall be putting into my own plans!

Elizabeth has a lovely post about incorporating aspects of the Liturgy of the Hours into her day. While I do not own a book, my newly received iPod, does allow me to listen to the many daily prayer podcasts, as well as read the hours from Universalis anywhere in the house!

Dawn has a post about planning. O.K. She has SEVERAL recent posts about planning! I will NOT be following her into making a calendar ;)

I WILL however, be looking again at my Home Companion and redoing it. I did like Elizabeth’s idea of multiple smaller ones… but I also need to assess what it is I want from it :) I know that somewhere there is a post about it, but since it was on the Homeschool Blogger blog, and I have yet to move it to the wordpress one, it’ll have to wait ;)